Sporting good retailer first new business to join Latham Circle revitalization project

COLONIE  As the old Latham Circle Mall is destroyed, the first new tenant for the shopping center that will replace it has come forward: Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Colonie Planning and Economic Development Director Joe LaCivita confirmed that the sporting equipment retailer applied for a building permit last week, seeking approval for a 52,000-square-foot building at The Shoppes at Latham Circle. There is a Dick’s at Latham Farms just a short way down the road, and LaCivita said it is not clear whether both stores will stay open or the old one will be consolidated.

“The way it was reported was that they potentially may be keeping that location and developing that into their new Field & Stream site,” LaCivita said. “It’s safe to say that Dick’s is coming.”

LaCivita said the chain plans to build a Field & Stream location in the Northeast, though it is unclear where. Nevertheless, LaCivita said he is happy Dick’s will be moving to a more visible area.

“It’s nice to see they’re looking for a new building and want to stay in the town,” he said. “For Dick’s to want to stay within the town means they’re doing fairly well at this location.”

Moving to the Shoppes at Latham Circle, LaCivita said, will be good for Dick’s because Latham Farms is also an aging location. LaCivita said he’s not sure if Latham Farms has any rehabilitation plans.

“I start to see aging storefronts … you wonder what their plans are,” he said. “Retail is such a competing industry that I think the developers really tend to be silent and then launch when ready.”

The Shoppes at Latham Circle, set to be completed by this fall, will consist of two buildings. Both JCPenny and Lowe’s, from the original Latham Circle Mall, will stay at the new shopping center and are open while demolition is completed.

LaCivita said he will be meeting with the developers of The Shoppes, Grossman Development Group, this week to go over existing site plans and learn of any additional tenants. Calls to the Grossman Development Group and Dick’s Sporting Goods were not returned as of press time.